Writing...Just because!

With just a little over two weeks to go to the launch of Zig Zag Zeffy, written by Barbara Ann Miller and illustrated by EM Gales, we're spooling up for the virtual book tour. Lots of folks have already hopped on the band wagon (and some have posted) but it's not too late if you want to join the tour. Just email or message me and let me know. Here is where the tour has been and where it will be heading: June 12 - Mary Lanni Reads - on YouTube and Goodreads July 1 - CanLit for Little Canadians - summer watch list July 31 - Maeve, on behalf of Atlantic Book Reviews - enthusiastic reading! August 1-7 - Dartmouth Book Exchange Author Spotlight August 4 - Lisa Haselton's Reviews & Interviews August 5 -  Miramichi Reader August 8 - Terri Protelli's  Bookly Matters August 10 - AJ Korman's Blog - Children's Books and Literature - Bringing Stories to Life August 15 (launch day) - interview on The Author Journey , presented by OC Publishing August 16 - interivew ...

I recently had the pleasure of beginning work on a book project with one of my best friends. We taught pre-school together in the early 80s and developed a bond over our love of children that expanded into our outside lives and continues on to this day. We also share a love of animals, and on August 15, my friend, and Halifax-based author, Barbara Ann Miller, will launch the first in a series of children’s books, Zig Zag Zeffy , that will teach themes such as inclusion and self-esteem.   “This wonderful early childhood book keeps the young reader’s attention as the love develops between a puppy and his Hu-Mom,” said Marg MacDonald, Recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education (2021). “The descriptive and fun story flows well, and is accompanied by colourful illustrations, providing many opportunities for teachable moments.”  Zig Zag Zeffy is a heart-warming story of a Hu-Mom who adopts an energetic, fun-loving Puggle named Zeffy. It...

Congratulations to Lynda Faye Schmidt whose third novel, The Rogue Scorpion , released April 23, partner published by OC Publishing. We also published her first two novels together, The Healing and The Holding , as well as a guided journal that pulls excerpts from those books as writing prompts, The Holding and The Healing Companion Journal.    Advance readers loved The Rogue Scorpion. Our virtual book tour is well underway and we're excited that interest in Lynda's emotionally impacting, character-driven novels, and the author herself, is building. Here's the tour line up. We will update the links as reviews and interviews are posted and new ones are added! Tranquilo Retreat with Lyndi Allison - author interview - January 15 Your Authentic Purpose on Fit for Joy with Valeria Koopman - author interview - April 6 Laura's Books & Blogs with Laura Smith - author interview - April 21 The Author Journey presented by OC Publishing - author interview and launch celebr...

Canadian author, Lynda Faye Schmidt, launches her next women’s literary fiction, The Rogue Scorpion , on April 23rd in partnership with OC Publishing. This will be the third novel we've published together. The Healing was published in 2021, and The Holding - Prequel to The Healing, came out in 2022. As with her previous books, Schmidt’s latest novel takes the main character, Isabella, on a journey to find inner strength along the path to true love. Will Isabella discover the spiritual fulfillment she is searching for? Or, will a series of challenging events cause her to stop trusting forever?        “ The Rogue Scorpion had me captivated from the first page to the last page,” said Karen Dean, bestselling author of We Are Unbreakable . “Lynda Faye Schmidt weaves so much emotion and adventure in her storytelling that you can’t help but wonder what will happen next.”       The Rogue Scorpion is the story of Isabella Ricci, an artist wit...

  With so much going on in health care these days, it's no wonder that Francene Cosman's Nurse! A Memoir is still in the spotlight.  Francene did her nursing training at the Saint John General Hospital in the early 60s when hospital-based, hands-on training was the norm. She feels that it's timely to share her story as a catalyst to discussions on revisiting that model as one way to address the nursing shortages the industry is facing.  Nurse! A Memoir launched on the 60th anniversary of her graduation and the author felt that it was important to write her story for historical preservation. The Saint John General Hospital has been torn down, as have many other buildings from Francene's early years so she felt the time was right before all was forgotten.  After a long and rewarding nursing career, and after raising her family, Francene began a long and illustrious political career that spanned several years and included being appointed president of the Provincial Stat...

As we approach launch day for Shanti Fights for Her Rights by Marcia E Barss, on February 21st, interest is growing in learning more about the ongoing illegal practice of child marriage in rural India. The story is told from the perspective of fourteen-year-old Shanti, who lives in a village in Eastern India where her parents work in a rice field. She attends school 40 km away. When Shanti's mother gives birth to another daughter, her father says she will stay home to help care for her sister and prepare to marry soon.  The author spent her childhood in India and recently returned to visit people she knew and places she had lived. She stayed with friends at Bridge of Hope that works with girls determined to get an education, despite the immense challenges. This inspired the book, which tells a fact-based, fictionalized story from personal experience, interviews, and in-depth research.  Learn more about the author at marciabarss.com and order your copy of Shanti Fights for He...

  The latest novel from Halifax-based author, Marcia E. Barss, Shanti Fights for Her Rights , is a fictionalized story based on the reality of the ongoing illegal practice of child marriage in India. It releases on February 21, partner published by OC Publishing. “Girls in rural India face many challenges because parents are not interested in investing in the education of their daughters,” said Dr. Mamatha Raghuveer Achanta, Founder of Tharuni, a non-profit in India working towards the empowerment of adolescent girls. “I have stopped many child marriages, but sometimes we don’t know the difficulties girls go through with their families. I am sure those who read this beautiful story will realise the ill effects of child marriages and try to support girls.”  The story follows fourteen-year-old Shanti who lives in a village in eastern India, where her parents work in the rice fields. She attends school in a town forty kilometres away and hopes to become a teacher. But while she...